Empire Builder

  • Chicago
  • St. Paul/Minneapolis
  • Spokane
  • Portland/Seattle
46 hours Daily Departure

Experience the rugged splendor of the American West. Traveling between Chicago and the Pacific Northwest along major portions of the Lewis and Clark trail, the mighty Empire Builder takes you on an exciting adventure through majestic wilderness, following the footsteps of early pioneers. From Chicago, you'll have magnificent views of the Mississippi and see the glowing night skyline of Minneapolis and St. Paul. Awake the next morning as you cross the North Dakota plains and travel over the spectacular Gassman Coulee Trestle. Skirting the Missouri, you'll cross into the Big Sky country in Montana, passing by a travelers favorite, Glacier National Park. From Spokane, you can continue on to Seattle or head down the Columbia River Gorge toward Portland for spectacular views of Mt. Hood and Beacon Rock.

Features & Amenities

Amenities vary by train.

Dining Options

Meals on This Train

Eastbound (8): Dinner, Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, Breakfast, Lunch
Eastbound (28): Dinner, Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, Breakfast, Lunch
Westbound (7): Dinner, Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, Breakfast
Westbound (27): Dinner, Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, Breakfast

Sample Menus

Downloadable menus are updated regularly, but menu items and prices are subject to change and may be different from what is available onboard.

Take your small dog or cat along with you on the train. Before you go, learn more about the types of pets allowed, pet reservations and fares, approved pet carriers and additional details.

See the Complete Pet Program Guidelines

Marvel at the majesty of the northern United States as you travel over mountain passes, through alpine valleys and past 7,000-year-old glaciers. Glide by buttes and bluffs, along mountain streams and across the Mighty Mississippi. With stops in big cities and quaint mountain towns, the Empire Builder invites you to experience culture, nature and rapture in one grand adventure.

“Earth and sky, woods and fields, lakes and rivers, the mountains and the sea, are excellent schoolmasters, and teach some of us more than we can ever learn from books.” — Sir John Lubbock